Region XI Provincial Officer Ms. Imelda Q. Rasay conducted a series of inspection of different handlers such as dealers, warehouses, repackers, and mango contractors in the Province of Davao del Sur. The handlers were reminded of the trash bin provision and audit on good housekeeping for warehouse due for renewal, recommended additional lighting and cleaning paraphernalia, followed-up on the compliance of mango contractors and licensing requirements, and reiterated on the proper usage of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) among service technicians and spray men.

04 December 2018 : Public Information

Region XI Officer Misses Alita Imelda Q. Rasay and Alita Castillare Bornea attended a special meeting with the Municipal Agriculturist Mr. Wendell G. AI basin held in Sta. Maria, Davao del Sur. The agenda is to address the issue on Banana Bugtok Disease which was the problem of banana farmers in Malita area. The concern was sent by Provincial Council of Elders and IP Representative Mr. Mateo B. Sumilat to the Sangguniang Bayan of Malita. It was agreed that the office of the municipal agriculturist will conduct Information and Education Campaign (IEC) to all banana growers in the areas of Sta. Maria and Malita on January 15-16, 2019. Interventions such as discussion of proper and judicious use of fertilizer and pesticide by FPA and resolving the issues on bugtok disease with Department of Agriculture technical specialist will be conducted .

04-06 December 2018 : Product quality and adherence to safety

Region XI Provincial Officer Ms. Cheery B. Agrade conducted an inspection of different handlers in the Municipalities of Maco, Mabini, and Pantukan, Compostela Valley. Product monitoring, collection of fertilizer samples, and random weighing were also administered to ensure product standards and compliance. Also, the pesticide poisoning cases were monitored at the Compostela Valley Provincial Hospital-Pantukan Branch (CVPH-Pantukan). As per hospital report, no pesticide poisoning incidents were reported in the last quarter.

05 December 2018 : Banning of Fipronil in Banana

Crop protection products containing Fipronil as its active ingredient has been used for years by banana growers for bud injection. However, the recent banana exported to Japan were found to have Fipronil exceedance to its Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) that alarmed the Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare. To address the concern, a meeting on December 3 was held with the officials from the Pilipino Banana Growers Exporters Association Inc. (PBGEA), Plant Quarantine Services (PQS) of the Bureau of Plant Industry, FPA, and chemical industries. As a result of the meeting, the group agreed to ban the use of Fipronil in banana effective immediately. They also agreed for the chemical companies to start retrieiving the Fipronil containing pesticide products from the market. The FPA on its part has immediately issued Memorandum Circular No. 29, series of 2018, banning the use of Fipronil in banana. Meanwhile, the said meeting was attended by Deputy Executive Director Eric Divinagracia, with the Regional XI Officers Misses Alita Bornea, Marissa Napa lit, Imelda Rasay, and Mr. Jinny Louie Ale.

Region XI Provincial Officer Ms. Marrisa G. Napalit conducted monitoring and inspection of different handlers which includes informing the handlers of the banning of FIPRONIL in the province. Such inspections were performed to warehouses and institutional users on December 5, 2018, and dealers and repackers on December 6, 2018. No violators were caught but recommendations on good housekeeping and safety have been reiterated. This inspection has been made to ensure compliance and standards with FPA.

12 December 2018 : Briefing on RA 11032 – Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery (EODB-EGSD)

Director Maria Luisa S. Agamata of Civil Service Commission Public Assistance and Information Office administered a briefing on Republic Act (R.A.) No. 11032 or the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018 (EODB-EGSD) on March 28, 2018 amending RA No. 9485, otherwise known as the Anti-Red Tape Act (ARTA) of 2007 at FPA, BAI Compound, Diliman, Quezon City. RA 11032 will also be used in revising agency's citizen's charter to better serve the clients. She emphasized the Philippine's vision by 2020 which is to be in the upper 20% of the World Bank's EODB survey ... and that is ... from rank 124 to rank 38. It is a challenge wherein each of us has a very important role to play. FPA's role in this challenge which is in the agriculture is "FOOD FOR ALL". She also mentioned about the processing time of three (3) working days for simple transactions, seven (7) days for complex transactions, and twenty (20) working days for highly technical ones.

12 December 2018 : Workshop on the revision of FPA strategy map

FPA - Quality Management System Committee led by Deputy Executive Director Antonio G. Cruz. Jr. and LSD Chief Jerolet C. Sahagun conducted a workshop on revision of FPA Strategy Map in harmonization with Ease on Doing Business, Food Safety Act of 2013 and Agriculture and Fisheries, Anti-Red Tape Act, and in compliance with FPA mandate under PD 1144 at FPA, BAI Compound, Diliman, Quezon City. FPA Central as well as Regional and Provincial officers were divided in eight (8) groups. Each of them was given two (2) hours to revise the Strategic Map. The groups presented their outputs, in which, Deputy Director Tony Cruz gave comments and insights.

13 December 2018 : Workshop on the revision of FPA citizen's charter

Review Committee for FPA Citizen's Charter led by Deputy Executive Director Eric C. Divinagracia with Ms. Elizabeth T. Ramiro conducted a workshop on its revision in harmonization with Ease on Doing Business (EODB), Food Safety Act of 2013 and Agriculture and Fisheries (AFMP), Anti-Red Tape Act, and in compliance with FPA mandate under PD 1144 on December 13, 2018 at FPA, BAI Compound, Diliman, Quezon City.

14 December 2018 : Mass and blessing of FPA vehicles for better service

Reverend Father Fortunato Dumlao from the Diocese of Sto. Nifio, Bago Bantay held a mass at the Function Room, 4th Floor, FPA Building, BAI Compound, Diliman, Quezon City. Afterwards, nine (9) newly-acquired vehicles approved by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) were being blessed. These vehicles shall be used to improve the services especially in the monitoring and enforcement activities all over the country.

14 December 2018 : FPA celebrates a victorious closing of 2018

Director Wilfredo Roldan graced a special function attended by Pesticide and Fertilizer Industries, academe, and FPA employees held at the Function Room, 4th Floor, FPA Building, BAI Compound, Quezon City. Director Roldan's speech focused on "change in three things", change in organization, change in the system, and change within us, in order to be responsive in working for quality service in fertilizer and pesticide industries. FPA employees from Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao, and Central Office also showcased their talents to brighten the event.

18 December 2018 : FPA Region XI regional office's inauguration

FPA Region XI successfully had its Inauguration Ceremony of its new Regional Office in Davao City. Aside from the special guests and visitors, Executive Director Wilfredo C. Roldan who also led the cutting of the ribbons and PRO Deputy Executive Director Eric C. Divinagracia made the said inauguration a successful one. ED Roldan stated that this new office building should serve as a source of information and services of FPA to its stakeholders throughout the region now and in the future as this office is for everyone. The new Regional Office is located at Ground Floor, Suite 9, Granland Business Center, R. Castillo St., Davao City.

19 December 2018 : General assembly of dealers' associations

The Fertilizer and Pesticide Dealers Association of Davao del Norte (FAPDADI) and Compostela Valley (FAPDACI) successfully conducted its General Assembly and Christmas Fellowship held on December 19, 2018 at Miko's Brew, Tagum City, Davao del Norte. The activity was made extra special through the presence of our new OIC/Regional Officer Ms. Alita Castillare Bornea, PRO Deputy Executive Director for Pesticide Mr. Deputy Eric Divinagracia and most specially Executive Director, Mr. Wilfredo C. Roldan. ED Roldan actively answered questions from our stakeholders and gave updates on FPA's regulatory policies. In support with the recent implementation of FPA MC No: 29 series of 2018 on the banning of Fipronil in banana, the two associations made their initiative plan to provide Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) materials (tarpaulin ads) in their respective stores for the strict banning of Fipronil. This is to promote awareness to every farmer and its constituents in the banana industry.

19-20 December 2018 : Product quality and adherence to safety

Provincial Officer of Davao del Sur Ms. Imelda Q. Rasay did several monitoring and field inspections in the province. Monitoring of an- Experimental Use Permit (EUP) was done along with Doc. Sergia Milagrosa, Product Development Officer of Agway Mr. Ordoyo, and farmer Mr. Vicente Patagoc which was held at Brgy. Kapatagan, Digos City, Davao del Sur. On the other hand, full implementation on the banning of Fipronil in the different municipalities of the province was fully monitored and old stocks of Crop Protection Products containing Fipronil were inventoried. Those products that still have Banana Images or text on its label as these Fipronil Products are banned for banana use.

20 December 2018 : Awarding of maturity level 2 of the enhanced Program to Institutionalize Meritocracy and Excellence in Human Resource Management (PRIME-HRM) certification

To elevate public sector human resource management to a level of excellence through the assessment, assistance, and awarding processes of Human Resource Management (HRM) Systems, Practices, and Competencies using HRM maturity level indicators that are at par with global HRM standards, Program to Institutionalize Meritocracy and Excellence in Human Resource Management (PRIME-HRM) has been established. (source: PRIME-HRM Guidebook) FAD Supervising Admin Officer Ms. Ma. Theresa B. Oliveros and Admin Officer Ms. Josephine S. Guntan received the certificate on Maturity Level 2 of the Enhanced Prime-H RM in the Recruitment, Selection, and Placement, Learning and Development, Performance Management and Rewards and Recognition due to the following bases- processes are attuned to the agency's requirements, programs are performed and managed according to documented process, and some processes are proactively managed through the use of automated systems, but the integration of data is not fully placed. The said recognition was awarded by Director Fe P. Lacaba at the DA-CSC Off1ce on December 20, 2018. Congrats HR Team!

20 December 2018 : Product quality and adherence to safety

FPA Compostela Valley headed by Ms. Cheery B. Agrade conducted several field inspections and monitoring. A Plantation visit as well as its mixing facility and warehouse at MD RioVista Agriventures Inc. at Bgry. Pangi, Maco, Compostela Valley have been monitored, respectively. This activity has been made to ensure compliance on product safety as well as to plantation workers' welfare.